2018.06.18 Innovative Approach to Soil Decontamination

Posted June 18, 2018 by Susan Browning Luttrell

According to the New York Times Environmental Reporter Felicity Barringer, there is more lead contamination in America’s cities than any federal or state agency could ever afford to dig and and haul away. That’s why new, innovative strategies are being explored, including tilling fish bones into lead-contaminated soil, where they bind with the toxic metal as it decays, creating tiny, harmless crystals. This relatively cheap, effective decontaimination method is transforming poisened neighborhoods into safer play areas for children and revitalizing yards and gardens across the country. So far, LARC has finished one lot in the Chicago Englewood neighborhood using fish bones to nullify lead in the soil and plans to tackle future work areas soon. Stay tuned for more updates on our projects in late Summer 2018.